Random Christmas Photos

Just a few photos from our Christmas this year in no particular order...

This is the teddy bear Brychan received from Great Grandma Taylor. As soon as he pulled the bear out of it's bag, he exclaimed "teddy!!!!" and gave him a HUGE hug. Kehlton recevied a matching bear.

And later sporting the hat his new teddy was wearing...he wore this hat ALL day Sunday.

The oh so beloved bike. This was the first thing he saw Christmas morning and his eyes were SO big when he saw it sitting there. He has been coveting other children's bikes for quite awhile now and is very excited to have his own!

Brychan was also very excited about the Christmas tree this year. Everything from going to pick it out to the decorations we put on it to the presents that go underneath; he loved it!

More Christmas photos to come...I am way behind in my blogging and am trying to get caught up. Hopefully by the end of this week!

Kehlton

Just a few shots of Kehlton. I'm already guilty of not taking as many pictures of the second child as I did of the first. I'm trying to do better, though!

Tummy time (which as of right now, he really seems to enjoy. We'll see if that sticks!)



Sleeping with Daddy

Brychan and Kehlton

I am SO glad that Brychan has finally learned to love his little brother. And he most certainly does!! Brychan loves holding, kissing and hugging his baby, and can frequently be found just sitting next to Kehlton's bouncy seat holding on to a little arm or leg while reading a story to himself. So sweet! I can't wait for them to become best little buddies!

Visit with Santa

Last weekend, Ashley came to stay with Kehlton so David and I could take Brychan to our ward's family Christmas party. Brychan had a blast! He could have cared less about the cookie decorating or any of the crafts they had...he was much more interested in running around outside with the older kids while David and I visited with the other adults.

This was Brychan's first visit with Santa Claus and it didn't seem to phase him at all. He was pretty excited to get his bag of candy, though!

After our party, we went to pick out a Christmas tree, which Brychan had just as much fun with. We enjoyed our afternoon activities with Brychan and look forward to a few activities coming up that we will be able to attend as an entire family!

Kehlton's Hospital Photos

You can click on the link below to view Kehlton's pictures taken at the hospital. I love the one of him and David!

http://www.our365.com/NewbornPortraits/BabyDetail.aspx?birthid=5da0e611-76a6-48b7-812e-28a6bf2d6c35&babyid=32999075-1f5c-4711-917c-98f996cde972

(And if you notice that my name is spelled wrong - that would be my husband's doing. Evidently pregnancy brain is slightly contagious! ;) )

My Boys

Wow. I can already tell that keeping the blog up to date is going to be much more difficult...

Brychan initially had a really hard time with the new baby in the house. Actually, I think it was a combination of a new baby, grandparents going home and us trying to get life back to normal. Now, however, he really seems to LOVE his baby and any crying Brychan does now is just out of sympathy for Kehlton. In fact, Brychan woke up sick in middle of the night last night, and instead of calling for mommy or daddy, he kept calling out "my baby!!".

*You'll notice that Brychan is only wearing one sock in the photo above. That is the independent 2 year old coming out in him. He absolutely refused to wear a sock on his right foot; instead he would only wear it on his hand.

I LOVE this kid!!!!!!!

Seriously...could he be any cuter?!?! He is having a really hard time with the new baby in our house and it is absolutely breaking my heart. I just hope and pray he knows how much his mommy loves him, because oh my gosh do I ever!!!!!

Our Christmas Angel

We're hoping that you check our blog as we wanted to sincerely thank you for the goodies and gift that were mysteriously left at our home this week - it meant the world to us. We are VERY grateful for your thoughtfulness and generosity!

Merry Christmas!!!!

And Baby Makes Four

Kehlton James Stander

December 1, 2009

3:40am

7 lbs 14oz

19 1/2"

We are already SO in love with this sweet little boy!! He is so calm and mello, and I lucked out with another snuggly baby. I love it!!

A Baby Story

A few days before Thanksgiving, I happened upon some photographer's website who specialized in what she called "birth stories". She would take maternity photos and then she would be present with the family during labor and delivery to snap all those special shots. I had always been horrified at the thought of any extra people in the delivery room with me other than David, but this woman's photos were so gorgeous that I asked my sister to do the same for me. The following are some of her photos of my labor and delivery experience. Don't worry...nothing graphic or inappropriate...just bits of my long night!

I was scheduled to be induced at 8:00pm. However, they had so many births that day that we ended up waiting in the waiting room for a couple of hours. I didn't get started until somewhere between 9:00 and 9:30. I was not thrilled.

And, this may be too much information, but we discovered there is a reason my belly was SO huge. I had at least twice as much amniotic fluid as the normal pregnant woman. They broke my water when I first got there (which, I also learned I NEVER want that to happen in a public setting - ugh!!), no big deal. An hour or so later, I was gushing again...worse than I had with the inital breaking of my water. The nurse came in; I was laughing hysterically, and asked her if this was normal. She laughed and told me no. My stomach was instantly half the size it had been when I first got there.

This was several hours into it, once contractions had been going for almost an hour and I finally woke David up and told him to come help. FYI, contractions that come naturally do not hurt anywhere NEAR as much as those contractions that come by being induced.
I love this photo!! It's a little blurry, but I love how supportive my husband is being as I'm digging my nails into his arms. I am in middle of a contraction, crying AND getting my epidural at this point. Too much all at the same time; I was not so happy.
Just over 6 hours after we had begun and only 2 pushes later, Kehlton made his grand debut!! He was only 7 lbs and 14 oz - a full pound smaller than Brychan had been. Kehlton seems like such a tiny little thing after Brychan!! I'm still trying to decide which I like better - natural child birth or inducement. Each has their pros and cons.


Ashley, thank you SO much for taking these photos for us!! We LOVE them (ALL of them; not just the few we put on here) and are glad you did this for us. And...I'm sorry for yelling at you in the delivery room! :)